The Clothesline Experiment

I have been neglecting the blogging world the past couple of months and I apologize. I also apologize in advance for the plethora of posts that I'll be loading up this coming week. I've been super busy working on custom jar orders for customers and willing at the local farmer's market with my friend Racheal. We LOVE selling our homemade, all-natural toothpastes, deodorants, laundry soap and doggie treats. We don't love, however, getting up at 4:30 am to do Farmer's market but somehow we manage!

At one point over the past few hectic weeks I mentioned to my hubby that I'd love a clothesline in our backyard. It seemed like the most natural thing given the rest of our going-green changes and efforts. I've always had a clothesline so as soon as the weather warmed up, I began longing for the smell of line-dried linens! We looked at building a wooden line, possibly hiring the Amish to build one, and even simply running one from our back patio roof to a tree. We really didn't want to commit to pouring concrete and a permanent setup. During the indecisiveness period of this project, we happened upon our old house to dig up and transplant some neglected peony bushes. The owner suggested we could have the metal clothesline poles in the back, so my hubby put on his Superhero cape and managed to break them out of the ground. Yay! A few weeks later my father-in-law came over to help and they spent the afternoon installing and stabilizing my new-to-me clothesline!

Isn't it fabulous? I have since added some bright, cheery bandanas to help encourage hummingbirds to visit and a porcelain enamel pot of beautiful flowers. It probably needs some beautifying but I use it every single sunny day that Missouri gives us! There's just something about the smell of line-dried sheets and clothes, but more than that I feel so liberated from the dryer! Good for my soul and food for the earth!

Do you use a clothesline? Does it conjure up memories of your mama or grandmother hanging the wash? I'd love to hear about it or see your clothesline photos in the comment section! Happy laundering, everyone!

Kim

 

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DIY Homemade Coconut Oil Lotion

Ever since I jumped onto the coconut oil bandwagon with both feet, I've been continuously looking for easy, useful and awesome products that I can make at home to replace some of my less-healthy, not-so-green products with. One thing I've been super excited about trying was coconut oil lotion or body butter. I'll do them separately though to keep from having an over abundance of lotion!

That being said, this is a great recipe for three reasons: one, it only uses two ingredients; two, it takes less than half an hour from start-to-finish; and three, it is super natural and smells fabulous!

The ingredients: 

-organic lime 

-1 cup of coconut oil

1.) Melt the cup of coconut oil over low heat. 

2.) While it is melting, use a veggie peeler to peel the lime. No worries if you get into the white pithy part of the fruit. 

3.) After the coconut has melted and is completely clear, toss in the lime peelings. Set your timer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Be sure and keep the mixture on low. 

4.) After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and let it continue to sit and steep for a few minutes. 

5.) While it is still liquid, pour into a container with a lid. 

If you would like a softer, fluffier body butter type of lotion, you can easily whip this mixture (coconut oil is such a dreamy consistency when whipped!) Using your hand or stand mixer, whip lotion for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy. It looks good enough to eat, and well, you can! ;-)

This recipe is so very yummy to smell and apply, but if you're not a fan of lime, you can easily substitute orange peel. (Notice the cute little Pyrex refrigerator dish? So vintage-y & fab!)

Blessings & happy crunching!

Kimberly

DIY All-Natural Homemade Toothpaste

This is one of the easiest ways to eliminate harmful and toxic substances from our homes and hygiene  products. In light of the latest information about the safety of fluoride, I couldn't wait to get on board with a homemade alternative. Add in the additional health benefits of coconut oil, and you have a fabulous replacement for unhealthy fluoride toothpastes! Coconut oil has been shown to offer cavity-healing properties, so I've left out the traditionally- added glycerine. While glycerine helps the toothpaste cling to your brush and teeth, it unfortunately keeps the coconut oil from bonding to your teeth. You may add 1 T though if you really like the sensation that glycerine provides. Again, one of the  best parts of DIY is the customization!

The ingredients:

-6 T coconut oil
-6 T baking soda
-Stevia to taste (optional)
-25 drops essential oil (peppermint, grapefruit, orange, eucalyptus, etc.)

1.) Heat coconut oil for 10 seconds in microwave-safe bowl to soften. 

2.) Add all other ingredients and mix well until combined. (Smashing and folding/cutting the oil seems to work best until it starts to mix.) 

3.) Spoon into a container with a lid. 

That's it! Super-easy, healthy, and economical toothpaste from just 3-4 ingredients!

I picked up this adorable little vintage jar at the antique store today. Isn't it sweet? I love it and it was perfect for storing our homemade toothpaste. 

Remember, traditional store-bought toothpastes are very sweet, so unless you add a lot of Stevia, your taste buds will need to readjust to this. If you've used a commercial baking soda toothpaste before, you already know it has a salty flavor. The Stevia is optional but it helps balance the salt taste. Some people don't use it at all!

Thanks for stopping by! 

Blessings & happy crunching!

Kimberly

DIY Homemade Natural Deodorant

One of the most important things that I have wanted to make a priority while ridding our home of toxins and chemicals has been deodorant. We use it daily, slathering up our underarms, and all the while knowing that it contains aluminum and a boat of other unsafe chemicals. Alzheimer's and cancer both run in my family, so of course I want to stop using products which are linked to both. The deodorant has got to go! Years ago I used an aluminum-free deodorant from Adidas that worked great, but eventually became impossible to find. While it is easier to find aluminum-free deodorants now, most of them still contain other questionable ingredients and while there are a few all natural brands out there, the price can be a bit hard to swallow. The solution? Make your own all-natural, effective deodorant.

There are several recipes floating about the internet for homemade deodorant, and like most things of this nature, it's best to make small batches until you find one that works for you. Baking soda can be a bit harsh for some people, so my suggestion is to half this recipe the first time. Also, if corn starch is an issue for you, arrow root is a great substitute. 

The ingredients:

-1/2 cup corn starch

-1/2 cup baking soda

-6 T coconut oil

-essential oils (optional)

1.) Mix the baking soda and corn starch together in a bowl. I just mix in the container I store the deodorant in, but you'll need room to mix so a bowl might be easier.

2.) you can add the coconut oil two ways-either melt it a little in a double broiler or in the microwave, or mix it in by hand with a fork using a mashing method. I just mash it in. 

3.) Add your choice of essential oils and mix well. (This step is purely optional! If you're using unrefined  coconut oil, it has a very yummy smell all on its own. A citrus-based oil is nice, and tea tree oil or lavender both have antibacterial benefits.)

4.) Add to the container of choice. I just apply a pea-size dollop with my fingers, but you can use a makeup sponge or cotton balls you'd like. Some people add their deodorant to an old deodorant container, but coconut oil has a tendency to melt if it gets warm. You can definitely do this and store it in the fridge though if you're determined to use it in an applicator. 

Helpful hints: Wait a few minutes after applying to let the oil absorb into your skin. If you can't or don't want to do that, try dabbing a little corn starch or baking powder on top after you apply.  Only use about a pea-sized dollop per arm. Any more may cause irritation.

If you've been using commercial, store-bought deodorants for a while, your body may have an adjustment period involving increased sweating or odor when you switch to this. Please keep in mind that his is only temporary and once the chemicals are out of your body, you may even notice less sweating than ever before! (This is just a deodorant...not an anti-perspirant!)

Do you have a tried-and-true DIY deodorant recipe? I'd love to hear your thoughts, tips and suggestions! 

Blessings, and happy crunching!

Kimberly

DIY Homemade Liquid Hand Soap

I'm pretty excited about this project! My family uses a lot of liquid hand soap, so the opportunity to bring less chemicals and waste into our home is something to get excited about! I made two recipes, but only picture documented one. If you're using Kirk's or another castile soup, please keep in mind that it won't be thick like your typical store-bought liquid soaps. Honestly, though, my kids prefer this one over the thicker one. It's all about what you and your family like! And that's the beauty of DIY! 

First, the ingredients: 

-one 4-5 oz. bar of soap, grated

-3 cups of distilled water

-2 T of glycerine (optional, but adds softness to your skin)

-10-20 drops of your favorite essential drops (optional)

Begin by grating your soap. I use a simple cheese grater since it is only one bar. I used Kirk's Coco Castile in one batch and pure Ivory in the other, both were purchased at Walmart. 

Add the grated soap to the water in a pot on the stove and simmer until all of the soap melts. Stir it up occasionally and keep the heat low to prevent over boiling. Once all the soap is dissolved, remove from heat and add the glycerine and EO. I added lavender to ours. :) The glycerine can be purchased from Walmart in the first aid section next to the peroxide, etc. The essential oils are found locally at Hy Vee, the health food store, or online. 

Let it sit for about 15 minutes, then stir again. 

If you used a non-castile soap, you should be able to tell if you need to make adjustments after 30 minutes or so. If it's too thick, add more water and reheat. My batch made with Ivory soap needed another cup of water, and the final consistency was thick and somewhat stringy, but comes out of a pump perfectly. If you used a castile soap, the mixture will be runny and won't thicken. (You'll get used to it--I even use this as a body wash!) I let them sit as long as they need to cool completely and turn the right consistency. This is a very forgiving, customizable recipe. Don't be afraid to keep adding water, more soap flakes, etc until it's perfect for you! 

The jar on the left is our castile version. The jar on the right is our Ivory version. The tutorial for the handmade mason jar pump dispensers is coming up later this week--super easy and makes a great gift! 

 

Blessings and Happy Crunching!

Kimberly

DIY Dishwasher Detergent...Take One

One product we spend quite a bit on in our family is dishwasher tabs. I've tried pretty much every brand and every variety because I hate washing dishes by hand and I'm very picky about detergents leaving a film on my glasses, spots, etc. My favorites, hands down, are the Cascade gel tabs with Dawn added. My dishes have NEVER been cleaner! 

A package of 20 tabs costs us around $8 at Walmart, and we run our dishwasher almost daily although occasionally we will miss a day. Even though this is an item that is costly and something we use a lot of, I wasn't entirely sold on making my own for several reasons. First, the Cascade with Dawn tabs work so well and smell so good, plus they are already phosphate free. Yay! 

Second, in all the research I've done and of all the people I've talked to, there seems to be a low success rate with DIY dishwasher tabs and detergent, and most were "settling" with what they ended up with based on the cost saving. I'm just not sure this is going to be an area where I can switch to DIY, but as part of my "greener with our cleaner" goal for 2014, I decided to give it a go! I'll take you through my first attempt, my revised 2nd attempt, and my final outcome.

My first attempt involved the following ingredients:

-1/2 cup Kosher salt (or Epsom salt)
-2 cups washing soda or baking soda
-2 cups Borax
1/2 cup vinegar OR lemon juice
-4 ice cube trays 

I opted to use the baking soda (and then later regretted it so don't be like me and keep reading to see what I eventually added to correct this.) I mixed all the ingredients together in a big bowl until it was the consistency of wet sand. Yes, it will foam when you add the liquid. :) Once it is all mixed, press the mixture FIRMLY into the ice cube trays, being sure to keep each tab small enough to fit into the compartment of your dishwasher. 

Sadly, like so many others before me, the ice cube tray mold idea for making tabs didn't seem to want to dry out or set up for me. I don't have a spot inside where it's very sunny, and it's quite blustery and cold outside here still, so maybe that played a factor. Regardless, I know that I'm unlikely to want to have homemade dishwasher tabs sitting around the house for a week or longer to dry each time I make them. 

Onto Revision, Part 2: I dumped them all out and added more liquid in hopes that would help them bond. I mixed them all up with more lemon juice and packed it down into the trays again.

 On about Day 4, I finally got a few to fall out like this:

Unfortunately, the minute I picked the tabs up, they crumbled into a pile. It was at this point that I considered throwing the entire batch away, but that seems wasteful now, doesn't it? Plus I'm hardly one to admit defeat at a DIY project, so I was going to have clean dishes, by golly, or else! I decided to try some of the mixture in my very dirty dishwasher full of dirty dishes and see if it worked.

I put 1T of the mixture into the detergent compartment, added just two tiny drops of liquid Dawn detergent, (never add more than that!) and filled the spot rinse compartment with white vinegar. The results were pretty impressive!

 Since the mixture had deemed itself worthy of saving, but was still so wet in the bottom of each cube, I decided it was time for a last ditch effort to save this batch of ingredients, so back into the bowl they went!

I added 1 cup of washing soda (which is what I should have used in the first place, in hindsight) and two packages of unsweetened Kool Aid lemonade mix. I mixed, and I mixed and I mixed...and then I dumped it all into a jar with a scoop.

And since I know the common complaint amongst folks using DIY dishwasher detergent in loose powder form is that it hardens in the jar, I decided to add a small satchel of cheesecloth filled with rice to help absorb moisture and prevent clumping. (Only I was out of cheesecloth, so I improvised and tore apart a tea bag, dumped out the tea, filled it with rice, and stapled it shut again.) A pouch of silica gel would also work.

What I have come to believe from talking with others who have tried their own dishwasher detergent and from spending countless hours researching online, you really have to take a basic recipe, tweak it to find what works best for your water and your dishwasher, and go from there. No one recipe seems to work for everyone. People with hard water will have a much more difficult time eliminating film or spots. 

We used the final recipe in our dishwasher tonight, adding two drops of Dawn before closing the detergent compartment, and making sure we had white vinegar in the rinse aid compartment. Again, we had splendid results, so I think this is one lifestyle hack and DIY project I'll be keeping!

My final recipe, give or take a few adjustments. (Start with the original, and tweak it for what works for you!)


-1/2 cup Kosher salt or Epsom salt
-2 cups Borax
-1 cup baking soda
-1 cup washing soda (or eliminate the baking soda and use 2 cups washing soda)
-1/2 cup white vinegar or lemon juice
-2 envelopes unsweetened lemonade mix


Mix thoroughly and adjust to find a dry-to-the-touch consistency. Add a moisture absorber such as a tea bag of rice or silica gel. Use 1T with 2 drops of Dawn in dishwasher detergent compartment. Fill rinse aid with white vinegar for a rinse. 


Blessings & Happy Crunching!
Kimberly

My DIY Homemade Laundry Detergent

I used to make my own laundry detergent years and years ago. I was a diehard wanna-be hippie, but because my son had such terrible asthma & allergy problems, my main motivation was that it seemed like the natural choice for helping keep his sensitive skin as healthy as possible. As an added benefit, I also liked the idea of being more green as well as being in control of what was touching our clothes and therefore our skin. As much as I loved the final product, hand-grating the soap was messy, dusty, and seemed to take hours. As my babies grew older and also began to outgrow their allergies, we became busier and our schedules became more hectic. Eventually I stopped making detergent and started buying it again.

Fast forward to the past year. We've added to our family by one person (you can read about my vintage-themed wedding very soon on my other blog!) and one cat. The kids are older and more independent, and we recently moved into a larger house to accommodate our larger family's needs. Because my husband is going back to school part time and works full time, I'm always looking for ways to save us money, keep our family healthy, and to help keep things flowing smoothly. One thing we've been working on as a family is becoming "more green with our clean." My goal is to have us living a more natural, environmentally-safe lifestyle by the end of 2014. We just moved the beginning of March, so it seemed like a good time to start a new lifestyle!

The first thing I started with was DIY powdered laundry detergent. I knew that it was a fairly simple and extremely cost-effective project, and since my kids had outgrown their skin sensitivities, I was excited about the possibility of using scent boosters in my detergent. (Making my recipe not AS green but what can I say? I love the fresh smell of Downy!) We also received a food processor as a wedding gift, so I found the soap process substantially more pleasant now that I didn't have to grate it all by hand! One thing we were experiencing with the kids doing their own laundry was that they would use way more detergent than they needed no matter how big or small the load. This powder has virtually eliminated that waste because they now know to just use one scoop per load, no matter what.  Win!

Here are the ingredients I used in making this detergent.  All of these were found in the laundry aisle at Walmart, but they can also be found at Target, most grocery stores, etc:

-3 bars of Fels Naptha soap, $.97 each (can also use Ivory for more sensitive skin, Dr. Bronner's bar soap, any variety, Zote, etc)
-1 4lb 12 oz box of Borax, $3.97
-1 4lb box of Arm & Hammer baking soda, $2.24
-1 55 oz box of Arm & Hammer washing soda, $3.24
-1 28 oz bottle Purex scent boost crystals, $3.97
-1 small container Oxyclean (I don't have the cost for this because I already had it on hand, but it was less than $4.50)

I also purchased these items, but these are optional and you can use whatever you have on hand:

-a medium sized Rubbermaid tote with lid to store your detergent in
-a large bowl to mix the detergent in
-a 2-tablespoon scoop to measure detergent for each load (you can buy a stainless steel scoop at Walmart for around $3 or the Dollar Tree has a two-pack of plastic scoops for $1.)
-a marker, label or sticker to label your detergent with the date so you can track your savings!

Grate the bar soap until it is very fine. (You can do this by hand, but I find it so much quicker and easier in a blender or food processor. Also, we only use cold water to launder with and I often found that the larger chunks left when grating by hand wouldn't always dissolve completely in cold water.)

I cut my bars into four pieces and blend one at a time, mixing with baking soda to keep the soap from clumping or sticking. The baking soda is what helps the soap turn into a grainy powder-like consistency. I dump each batch into a large bowl before moving into the next chunk. 

Once I have all three bars of soap in the bowl, I add the rest of the baking soda, the washing soda, the Borax, and the OxyClean. Stir until well mixed, then add the bottle of scent crystals and stir again. I usually mix all of this in a clean Rubbermaid tote because I can fill my jar for the laundry room and just store the rest in the tote until we need it. We use two tablespoons per load or even less for small loads. It dissolves well, even in cold water! I've also noticed how clean and shiny the inside of our washer is since we started using this detergent! It works great and is perfectly safe for HE washers as well!

This is a super easy, tried-and-true recipe that works well for my family. Both the Oxyclean and baking soda are optional ( as well as the obvious scent crystals) but this is the combination that I've fallen in love with for my family. Baking soda adds extra  freshening and wonderful softening properties, however if you notice fading of your darks, you can certainly adjust the baking soda amount and just use half.

I hope you enjoy making your natural laundry detergent! Please comment below if you have any questions or tips from your own detergent experiments, and thank you for reading!

Blessings & happy crunching! 

Kimberly